WGU D671 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE
CURRICULUM COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS
●● Potential energy
Answer: Stored energy based on position or condition, such as a
stretched rubber band or an object held at a height.
●● Example of kinetic energy
Answer: A rolling soccer ball.
●● Example of potential energy
Answer: A stretched rubber band or a book on a shelf.
●● Law of Conservation of Energy
Answer: Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change
forms or be transferred. The total energy in an isolated system remains
constant.
●● Energy transfer definition
Answer: The movement of energy from one object or system to another,
through collisions, heat, or electric currents.
,●● Three methods of heat transfer
Answer: Conduction, convection, radiation.
●● Conduction
Answer: Transfer of heat through direct contact between particles.
●● Convection
Answer: Transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (liquids or
gases), where warm areas rise and cool areas sink.
●● Radiation
Answer: Transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves (no medium
required), like the Sun's heat reaching Earth.
●● What happens to energy during conduction?
Answer: Particles collide and transfer thermal energy directly.
●● What happens during convection?
Answer: Warmer, less dense fluid rises while cooler fluid sinks, creating
a cycle.
●● What is radiation in terms of energy?
,Answer: Energy transfer through electromagnetic waves that can travel
through space.
●● Example of radiation
Answer: Heat from the Sun or a campfire reaching you without direct
contact.
●● What is an isolated system in energy terms?
Answer: A system where no energy enters or leaves; total energy stays
constant.
●● Where does energy 'go' when objects collide?
Answer: It can transfer to other objects, convert to heat, sound, or distort
the objects.
●● Energy on a molecular level
Answer: Collisions between molecules transfer kinetic and potential
energy, sometimes causing chemical changes.
●● What is thermal energy?
Answer: The total kinetic energy of particles in a substance; related to
temperature.
●● What is energy transformation?
, Answer: Energy changing from one form to another, like potential to
kinetic or chemical to thermal.
●● Example of energy transformation
Answer: Gravitational potential energy becomes kinetic energy as a ball
falls.
●● Natural tendency of energy in systems
Answer: Systems move toward stability, distributing energy evenly (e.g.,
objects cool to room temperature).
●● What is stability in energy systems?
Answer: The state where energy is evenly distributed and no more work
can be done without adding energy.
●● Uncontrolled systems naturally evolve toward...
Answer: More uniform energy distribution and stability.
●● How do forces interact with energy?
Answer: Forces can transfer energy between objects or change energy
from one form to another.
●● What happens to potential energy when an object is lifted against
gravity?
CURRICULUM COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS
●● Potential energy
Answer: Stored energy based on position or condition, such as a
stretched rubber band or an object held at a height.
●● Example of kinetic energy
Answer: A rolling soccer ball.
●● Example of potential energy
Answer: A stretched rubber band or a book on a shelf.
●● Law of Conservation of Energy
Answer: Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change
forms or be transferred. The total energy in an isolated system remains
constant.
●● Energy transfer definition
Answer: The movement of energy from one object or system to another,
through collisions, heat, or electric currents.
,●● Three methods of heat transfer
Answer: Conduction, convection, radiation.
●● Conduction
Answer: Transfer of heat through direct contact between particles.
●● Convection
Answer: Transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (liquids or
gases), where warm areas rise and cool areas sink.
●● Radiation
Answer: Transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves (no medium
required), like the Sun's heat reaching Earth.
●● What happens to energy during conduction?
Answer: Particles collide and transfer thermal energy directly.
●● What happens during convection?
Answer: Warmer, less dense fluid rises while cooler fluid sinks, creating
a cycle.
●● What is radiation in terms of energy?
,Answer: Energy transfer through electromagnetic waves that can travel
through space.
●● Example of radiation
Answer: Heat from the Sun or a campfire reaching you without direct
contact.
●● What is an isolated system in energy terms?
Answer: A system where no energy enters or leaves; total energy stays
constant.
●● Where does energy 'go' when objects collide?
Answer: It can transfer to other objects, convert to heat, sound, or distort
the objects.
●● Energy on a molecular level
Answer: Collisions between molecules transfer kinetic and potential
energy, sometimes causing chemical changes.
●● What is thermal energy?
Answer: The total kinetic energy of particles in a substance; related to
temperature.
●● What is energy transformation?
, Answer: Energy changing from one form to another, like potential to
kinetic or chemical to thermal.
●● Example of energy transformation
Answer: Gravitational potential energy becomes kinetic energy as a ball
falls.
●● Natural tendency of energy in systems
Answer: Systems move toward stability, distributing energy evenly (e.g.,
objects cool to room temperature).
●● What is stability in energy systems?
Answer: The state where energy is evenly distributed and no more work
can be done without adding energy.
●● Uncontrolled systems naturally evolve toward...
Answer: More uniform energy distribution and stability.
●● How do forces interact with energy?
Answer: Forces can transfer energy between objects or change energy
from one form to another.
●● What happens to potential energy when an object is lifted against
gravity?
